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"People, governments and economies of all nations must serve the needs of multinational banks and corporations." Zbigniew Brzezinski.

"We are going to have a war on terror which you can never win, and so you can always keep taking people's liberties away. The media is going to convince everybody that the war on terror is real. The ultimate goal is to get everybody in the world chipped with an RFID chip, and have all money be on the chips, and if anyone wants to protest what we do, we turn off the chip."

Nicholas Rockefeller to producer Aaron Russo - eleven months before the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, taken from here

Conflict and 1%-world – frustration

I was always in conflict with the system as an adult. At school I was completely asleep, more asleep than my peers. In retrospect I see this as a defence mechanism, how would I have handled any form of awareness as a child. Alex became aware when young, fought the system, started his adult journey early, became aware of the outer world, and defensively shuts off his inner world. In my case I knew nothing of this fighting when I was young – only immature spats, became aware as an adult, and fought the system having been plonked on the Path by hitting bottom. That hitting bottom made me see the system as being at fault – repression, family, system and miseducation. Yet for most none of this conflict exists.

A keystone of the system is compromise. The 1% make profits, take advantage of all around, and make us all wage-slaves. There is a 1% directive – make as much profit as possible. As they are in control all the people working for them fit into that directive. A factory causes environmental damage, yet no one person makes a decision to cause that damage – except the directive (a directive many accept as business-is-business). The manager tries to make a profit. Down the line all follow what the hierarchy says, any decisions that are made are small. No-one decides to cause the damage, all will follow environmental guidelines, yet no-one says we will cause damage. But no-one says we will not cause damage because not causing damage will decrease the profits. There might be marginal calls, calls that would bring a certain amount of conflict – lack of promotion, loss of employment, people compromise on these margins. But no-one has to decide to cause damage. One might blame the environmental guidelines but these are under control through government lobbying by the 1%. Because the calls are marginal and because no-one appears to be responsible for the damage conflict rarely exists.

By nature I was brought into conflict in education, for me the clarion call of education was the very sword that brought me conflict in schools. Because schools were not about education – they are about providing a skillset that fitted into the 1%-system and about educating people for 1%-world. Having been given this skillset most people do not have conflict. They accept what is a “normal” way of life, struggle for their families and pleasures, and there is not a conflict with the system – only the struggle inherent within the constraints of normalness.

I have suggested to Brad (cajoled?) that his perception lacks the clarity that comes with conflict, that might be so. But if he has no conflict is his perception not clear? If I suggest that Brad educate for awareness of 1%-world, am I suggesting that he educate to create conflict?

When I say educate awareness my immediate answer is yes, I am suggesting he create conflict where now there is none. At present he does not educate for conflict, he puts forward the Dharma and does not expose 1%-world for what it is. Is that enough?

Previously I have said no. I have discussed here how important these 4 heinouses are:-

1) How important is #BlackLivesMatter?
2) How important is 1% control?
3) How important is climate change?
4) How important are the wars against 4 Muslim countries and drone attacks against 3 others?

When I argued this I suggested that monks including Brad should include awareness of 1%-world and how important these heinouses are. Awareness of these four and allowing them to be part of who you are will create conflict with 1%-world – if they are genuinely part of you.

I am now questioning that. Every part of my being says “make people aware of 1%-world”, but that is my being. Every part of my being says that it should be a part of everyone’s being but that is just me. I can’t answer this because for me personally there is no doubt.

Is awareness of these 4 a matter of choice?

NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, maybe YES!

I still can’t answer it so I have to say let the teachers and the people choose.

Brad, a Zen monk, gets into daily life. As an aware person he develops an understanding of daily life, but how far does he go? As far as he goes. How far should he go? As far as he goes, the Dharma must guide him. I don’t understand why the Dharma doesn’t take him further. It is frustrating because I don’t understand but I must trust the Dharma.

It is arrogant of me to think he doesn’t know enough to be aware of these heinouses so instead of questioning him I have to question my frustration. QED

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With my views on 1%-world now, it would be foolish if I worked within the system to try to change it. When I started out I had some hope that I could change some small things from the inside. In trying to do that I have come to recognise that outside is the only way for me now.

The Dharma got into me early on to some extent, and “it said” try to change. Now work in communes.

I cannot decide for others no matter how deeply I feel about it. Let that arrogance go.